Is Croton safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
Pet Poison Helpline reports Croton (Codiaeum variegatum): the source says it can harm pets that chew it, but does not name dogs and cats separately. Chewing can irritate the mouth and stomach, causing drooling, vomiting or diarrhea; sap on skin can cause minor irritation. Pet Poison Helpline describes the effects as mild but does not split dogs from cats, and no ASPCA entry was found.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: fire croton, garden croton, variegated croton. Codiaeum variegatum.
What it can do
Chewing can irritate the mouth and stomach, causing drooling, vomiting or diarrhea; sap on skin can cause minor irritation.
Good to know
Pet Poison Helpline describes the effects as mild but does not split dogs from cats, and no ASPCA entry was found. Call a vet or poison line if a pet chewed it.
Did your pet chew it?
Call your vet or a pet poison line, and say what plant, how much and when. If you aren't sure which plant it was, take a photo of it.
Poison emergency? Call now
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
For the children
"Some plants can make pets sick, and lilies are very dangerous for cats. Ask a grown-up before you bring a plant or flowers inside."
A job: Be the plant checker. Help a grown-up look up each plant in the house on this site, and write the ones to keep away on a list.
This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Common names are shared by different plants, so check the Latin name.
Sources
- Pet Poison Helpline: Croton (checked October 29, 2026)